Strong City, Kansas
| Strong City, Kansas | |
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| — City — | |
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| Coordinates: 38°23′41″N 96°32′15″W / 38.39472°N 96.5375°WCoordinates: 38°23′41″N 96°32′15″W / 38.39472°N 96.5375°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| County | Chase |
| Platted | |
| Incorporated | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km2) |
| • Land | 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,198 ft (365 m) |
| Population (2010)[1] | |
| • Total | 485 |
| • Density | 970/sq mi (374.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 66869 |
| Area code(s) | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-68650[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0477264[3] |
| Website | City website |
Strong City is a city in Chase County, Kansas, United States. It is named after William Barstow Strong, former president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.[4] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 485.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] 19th century
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia to Newton.[5] Strong City originated in March 1871 when the railway was completed to the point then known as Cottonwood Station. In February 1881, a petition was signed by a majority of the citizens, to change the name to Strong, in honor of William Barstow Strong General Superintendent, and later President of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. In 1945, "City" was added to the name Strong.[6]
In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This branch line connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior. At some point, the line from Neva to Lost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line".
In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".
[edit] Geography
Strong City is located at 38°23′41″N 96°32′15″W / 38.39472°N 96.5375°W (38.394620, -96.537491)[7]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), all of it land. The Cottonwood River is approximately 0.5 miles west of the city, and an old channel of the river is next to the south-west corner of the city.
[edit] Area events
- Flint Hills Rodeo, north side of U.S. Route 50 highway. 74th annual in 2010.
[edit] Area attractions
Cedar Point has four listings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
- Fox Creek Stone Arch Bridge[8] (NRHP).
- Lower Fox Creek School[9] (NRHP).
- Strong City Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Depot[10] (NRHP).
- Strong City Opera House[11] (NRHP).
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, north on K-177 highway.
- Kansas Historical Marker - Chase County And The Bluestem Pasture Region Of Kansas, approximately 2 mi east on U.S. Route 50 highway.[12]
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 659 |
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| 1970 | 545 | −17.3% | |
| 1980 | 675 | 23.9% | |
| 1990 | 617 | −8.6% | |
| 2000 | 584 | −5.3% | |
| 2010 | 485 | −17.0% | |
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As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 584 people, 247 households, and 163 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,084.3 people per square mile (417.6/km²). There were 287 housing units at an average density of 532.9 per square mile (205.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.77% White, 1.03% African American, 0.17% Asian, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 247 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,192, and the median income for a family was $35,833. Males had a median income of $23,523 versus $20,938 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,807. About 5.8% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
The center of population of Kansas is located 4.5 miles north of Strong City [1] at 38°27′15″N 96°32′10″W / 38.45417°N 96.53611°W.
Strong City is part of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area.
[edit] Government
The Strong City government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7PM.[13][14]
- City Hall, 4th St and Chase St.
- Chase County Sheriff Department, located in Cottonwood Falls.
- Chase County Fire Department, located in Cottonwood Falls.
- U.S. Post Office, 309 Cottonwood St.
[edit] Education
[edit] Primary and secondary education
Cottonwood Falls is part of Unified School District 284.[15][16] All students attend schools in Cottonwood Falls.
- Chase County Junior/Senior High School, 600 Main St in Cottonwood Falls.
- Chase County Elementary School, 401 Maple St in Cottonwood Falls.
[edit] Library
- Burnley Memorial Library, located in Cottonwood Falls.
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Transportation
U.S. Route 50 highway and BNSF Railway pass east-west through the city. K-177 highway passes north-south through the city.
Strong City surprised many communities when it announced its intentions to apply for an Amtrak station on Amtrak's proposed extension of the Heartland Flyer from Oklahoma City to Kansas City, Missouri. If the town should receive a station it would be one of the smallest towns in the Amtrak system to have a station.
[edit] Utilities
- Internet
- TV
- Satellite TV is provided by DirecTV, Dish Network.
- Free over-the-air ATSC digital TV.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway and Auxiliary Companies - Annual Meetings, and Directors and Officers; January 1, 1902
- ^ Santa Fe Rail History
- ^ W. B. Strong Memorial Railroad Park history
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - Fox Creek Stone Arch Bridge
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - Lower Fox Creek School
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - Strong City Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Depot
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - Strong City Opera House
- ^ Kansas Historical Marker - Chase County And The Bluestem Pasture Region Of Kansas
- ^ Strong City - Directory of Public Officials
- ^ Strong City - Government
- ^ USD 284
- ^ Kansas School District Boundary Map
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Strong City, Kansas |
- City
- Schools
- USD 284, school district for all of Chase County.
- Historical
- Historic Images of Strong City, Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library.
- Maps
- Strong City Map, KDOT
- Chase County Map, KDOT
- Topo Map of Strong City area, USGS
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